


the way hands may wander

by ohmytheon



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Academy Era, Bi-Curiosity, F/F, F/M, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-12 22:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7951480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmytheon/pseuds/ohmytheon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After losing a bet, Riza is forced to, well, face the music and her very female roommate, but it creates a very unexpected but not unpleasant turn of events.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had a Rizbecca prompt and became very panicky after not being able to find ANY Rizbecca fics out there. Maybe I just searched wrong. Let's hope so. My heart was saying smut, but my brain told me no, not yet. I always listen to my brain, as much as I hate it sometimes.

When Riza had decided to go out for drinks with the other cadets in her year at the Academy, this was not how she'd pictured her night going. It had been fun - admittedly much more fun than she'd expected - but now she felt like she was being backed into a corner and didn't know what to do. Actually, she knew what she was supposed to do, but for some reason, she didn't know how to go about doing it. That was a lie too. She knew how to...

Oh, this was a very uncomfortable situation.

Needless to say, when Riza had agreed to a pool game with a bet, she had been confident enough in her abilities. There had been approximately one pool table in the town next to her home growing up. Roy had taught her how to play, endlessly amused that the pool table was in a rec room in the small town hall building and not one of the bars. Apparently, pool tables were typical of bars and his aunt even had one in hers, which was how he'd learned. It turned out that she had a natural talent at pool, sharpened by her times playing with Roy, and so she had thought that she would win against a drunk military cadet.

It turned out she was wrong and she lost the bet just barely. Now Riza was teetering nervously at the end of the table, clasping onto the pool stick tightly and staring down at the damned three ball that had simply refused to go in.

"C'mon, Hawkeye!" the winner goaded, the largest smirk she had ever seen on his face. He was built nearly twice her size, all muscle and height, though she didn't much worry about him trying to physically force her to do anything. Besides, she had lost the bet fair and square and she'd been idiotic enough to agree to it, but that didn't stop her from procrastinating and being discomforted by it.

The bet in question: if she won, Cadet Lewis had to buy her and her roommate drinks for the rest of the night; if she lost, she had to kiss her roommate for at least fifteen seconds. It had seemed like a silly bet at the time. Sure, the drinks were ridiculously cheap here and she didn't plan on drinking much more, but it was still a lot more costly than a fifteen second kiss. Lewis was just being a lecherous idiot, as he usually was, already having gotten in trouble a few times for toeing the appropriate line with the few female cadets in the Academy.

Now Riza was being forced to reap what she'd sown and it was embarrassing. It wasn't as if she was completely innocent. Hell, she wasn't even a virgin anymore. But she had only ever done stuff like that in private. The few times she and Roy had kissed in public had been at night while in town, but almost never where there were prying eyes. Now it felt like everyone in the bar was watching her, waiting to witness some exciting event. It was just a kiss. It couldn't be that bad. Her roommate had shrugged the bet off like it was nothing; even now she looked nonplussed.

"You don't really have to do it, Riza, if you're too uncomfortable," her roommate told her, eyelashes fluttering over her dark brown eyes.

How Rebecca could remain so relaxed about things was beyond Riza. Sure, she got worked up every now and then - the girl had a lovely temper if she or someone she cared about was being crossed - but she was also happy-go-lucky and cheeky. She kind of reminded Riza of Roy in a few ways. Right now, she was wearing a soft, supportive look, even though she had been downing a shot with another cadet just moments ago before Riza's unexpected loss.

Riza bit her lip. "No, I agreed to the bet..."

"You can always kiss me instead of her, if you'd like," Lewis put in. It was more helpful than he realized. Shooting him a glare, which only made him laugh, Riza shook her head. She would definitely not be kissing him.

"It'll be fine," Rebecca said, perking up and tossing her hair back. She gave Riza a broad grin, the kind of smile she used on the male cadets when she wanted a drink. She usually got one too. She was quite excellent at saving money. "Ignore those idiots, just focus on me. Besides, after this, we won't have to buy drinks for the rest of the night anyways."

As the chanting of, "Kiss her! Kiss her!" began in the background, Riza did exactly what Rebecca told her. She focused solely on her roommate and put everyone else out of her mind. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward so that she was in Rebecca's space, almost against her. They'd been closer before, like when Riza would help a silly and drunk Rebecca back to their dorm or that one time Rebecca had an awful nightmare. But this felt different - charged, electric, as if something was both pushing them away and pulling them together at the same time. It felt like when she and Roy kissed those first few times. Maybe it was because of the way her eyes were drawn to Rebecca's red lips, noticing how they curled into an enticing yet comforting smile. She almost jumped when she felt Rebecca put a hand on her arm, but then forced herself to relax, breathe again, and focus.

And then Riza kissed Rebecca.

At first, Riza was much too tense. Her eyes were screwed shut tight and her arms were held at her sides and hands clenched. She counted down the seconds - one, two, three - until Rebecca moved her lips against hers and squeezed Riza's arm. Relax - it's okay, the touch seemed to say. And so Riza did.

Her muscles loosened and she unclenched her hands. Rebecca's lips were softer than Roy's had been, plumper too, and wet with the lipstick she'd recently reapplied. The kiss was as gentle as hers and Roy's first kiss, but lighter as well. She didn't have to crane her neck to kiss Rebecca as they were similar height. When Rebecca reached to put a hand on Riza's face, her heart jumped, but not in an unpleasant way. Riza's own hands found their way onto Rebecca's hips. She felt the way her closest friend smiled against her lips and tentatively smiled in return, only to gasp when Rebecca briefly deepened the kiss, the tip of her tongue darting into Riza's mouth and her fingertips brushing through Riza's short blond hair.

As sudden as it began though, it was over. Rebecca pulled away from her, flushed cheeks mirroring Riza's bright red ones, though Riza couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or the lack of air. She was smiling. Before Riza could come up with anything to say, Rebecca took hold of her hand and laughed, mock-bowing to the crowd of male cadets gawking at them. Riza immediately looked away, trying to discern whether she could hide underneath the pool table or not, but then Rebecca gave her a big hug.

"We won't have to buy drinks for the rest of the month after that!" she giggled while the men awkwardly dispersed until they were alone together. Lewis, the instigator, had to be dragged away, completely at a loss for words.

A shy smile worked its way onto Riza's face. Rebecca was such a positive thinker. She should be more like that. The kiss hadn't been bad at all. In fact, Riza thought it had been dizzingly pleasant. She knew that her friend wouldn't tease her about it and, if anyone tried to make fun of her, Rebecca would stand up for her. The rest of the night went on as if nothing had happened. Riza stuck close to Rebecca, who was friends with basically everyone on some level. The only difference was that, just as Rebecca had predicted, neither one of them had to buy drinks. All Rebecca had to do was give Riza a wink and then suddenly drinks would appear, a red-faced boy grinning nervously at them.

The two other female cadets didn't seem too happy with them, but they weren't mean either, just cold. That bothered Riza a little, but Rebecca didn't seem to care. She was on good terms with them, though nowhere near as close to them as she was with Riza. Not for the first time Riza wondered why, considering that Rebecca shared more in common with the other girls, but she didn't complain. She really liked Rebecca. It was nice to have a close girl friend. According to Rebecca, the girls were just jealous of the attention that they were getting, not that it mattered to them or they wanted it. They'd get over it come morning during class.

In the end, Riza drank a little more than was planned, but she wasn't too drunk. The walk back to their dorm room was filled with more stumbling than usual, but it was fun. Alcohol flushed her, a pleasant warmth radiating throughout her body. Her thoughts were a little hazier than she would've liked, jumping from one thing to the next and with far more emotion, but it wasn't too terrible. Rebecca was holding her heels in one hand, gripping Riza's with the other, and leaning against her as she laughed at a joke one of the other cadets made. She smelled like the smoke from the bar and rose perfume, her curly hair tickling Riza's neck and cheek.

"We've got class in the morning, Lewis, so don't stay up too late fantasizing!" Rebecca called out cheekily.

Lewis gaped so hard that he walked right into a trash can and toppled over. Everyone laughed, including the two other female cadets, as he staggered back to his feet and tried to right the trash can without looking like a complete dolt. Riza smiled despite herself, but stayed quiet. It wasn't long ago that she was feeling like everyone was watching and ready to laugh at her. They ducked into the building, the walk through the hallways much quieter as they didn't want to disturb other cadets or get in trouble. By the time they reached their dorm room, sleepiness had begun to take over Riza's mind and she craved her bed. She didn't stay up this late.

While Rebecca ducked into the bathroom to wash her face and change into her pajamas, Riza sat on her bed and quickly undressed. She was in shorts and a baggy t-shirt setting an alarm when Rebecca stepped back into the room, stretching her arms and yawning. She didn't appear as drunk as she could've been, but there was a dopey smile on her face and her eyes were heavy-lidded. She stumbled only a bit and slurred a light goodnight as she crawled into bed before Riza turned off the light and slipped under the covers of her own.

For a while, they laid like that in the dark. Riza was close to drifting off, her mind already thinking of class the next day, when she heard a quiet, "Riza, you awake?" from the other side of the room.

"Mmhm," Riza responded, listening to the bed squeaking and blankets rustling as Rebecca moved to face her. She couldn't see the other girl, not having a window in heir dorm, but she could tell that Rebecca was looking at her. She was unusually quiet, maybe biting her lip, like she did that one night after waking up from a nightmare and in tears. It felt like that night too, though they'd had a fun night and she didn't sound like she'd fallen asleep.

"Can I...?" The question died on Rebecca's lips, but Riza somehow knew what she was asking. It had been the same way that night they'd curled up together while Rebecca shakily explained the nightmare. Riza had had nightmares before too, but she'd never had anyone to go to for comfort, not even Roy, who she hadn't wanted to bother.

Riza didn't answer out loud. Instead, she scooted to the edge of her bed so that she was pressed up against the wall and threw back the covers. It was enough noise for Rebecca to get the picture even in the dark. She got out of her bed, tiptoed to the other side of the room, and squeezed in next to Riza. Her body was so much smaller and softer compared to Roy's, the only other person who Riza had ever shared a bed with. She had soft swells and curves hiding the muscle beneath whereas Roy had been all muscle and strength from his time at the Academy. She still smelled of roses, so it must've been her shampoo, her curly brown hair brushing against Riza's nose. 

Instead of putting her back to Riza's chest like a little spoon, she faced Riza, her body lightly pressed against hers as these beds weren't made for two people. They were two small women though, so it made things a little easier. Riza slept on her side anyways and Rebecca seemed capable of finding a comfortable position no matter what. Closing her eyes, Riza thought to find sleep, despite her heart beating faster than normal, when she felt Rebecca put a gentle hand on her hip to prop her arm.

"You were so silly tonight," Rebecca whispered, a smile in her voice.

"I'm sorry for putting you in such an awkward position," Riza sighed earnestly. She should never have taken a bet that involved her friend, not when she was the one who had to win. It felt like she'd thrown Rebecca under the bus and for no good reason. She had been worried that Rebecca might be mad at her for dragging her into the absurd situation, but it hadn't seemed to bother her in the slightest.

"Don't worry about it, goofball," Rebecca told her with a light chuckle. And then she went silent again, breathing so close to Riza that she could feel her hot breath puff against her neck. It sent a shiver down, but she willed herself not to squirm. "It was cute. You were...sweet."

Even though it was utterly ridiculous, Riza smiled. "Sweet?"

"Adorable, even," Rebecca added. There was a pause and then - "I...I liked it. Most guys are so rough. You were gentle. It was nice."

Nice. Gentle. Sweet. Riza tried to wrap her mind around the words, but whether it was the alcohol or her own nerves, she couldn't capture them. It almost sounded as if Rebecca was saying that she had enjoyed kissing her, which was preposterous. Rebecca liked boys. She liked to joke that she was only in the military so that she could find a man that would be able to rise up in the ranks and take care of her, despite her excellent marksmanship scores and aggressive need to compete.

Rebecca's hand left her hip and moved to Riza's face, just as she had done back at the bar. Her face was closer now, her breath on Riza's face, a hot but light puff of air that made Riza feel like she could barely breathe. She moved, closer to Riza, so that her chest was pressed against hers, more intimate than a hug, and her lips just inches from Riza's. She could see Rebecca in the dark, her eyes having adjusted, and the other girl's eyes were looking directly into hers. Asking her if she was okay. Asking for permission to come closer.

Riza closed the gap this time. It was an awkward angle, but she did it anyways, that pull towards Rebecca too strong to deny. Her lips pressed against Rebecca's, molding against them, as Rebecca's finger slid into her hair, more intently than what she'd done at the bar. Riza put a hand on her arm, gripping it tightly, as she kissed her. Not just one long kiss, but a multiple kisses, needy and desired. Rebecca wiggled so that she could use her other hand, holding the side of Riza's face as her other hand moved from her hair back down to her side. Their bodies pressed together in ways that Riza had not imagined possible. Where her body had aligned with Roy's, it seemed to mold together with Rebecca's.

By the time they stopped kissing, just for a moment so they could breathe, both of them were panting heavily. Rebecca snuck in a chaste kiss despite gasping for air and Riza gripped her tighter. She didn't know why she did it or why she felt the need to pull the other girl closer. It just felt natural to do.

Rebecca sighed. "You're so pretty."

"I'm not," Riza said quietly, "not like you."

And Rebecca was so pretty. In Riza's mind, she was the prettiest woman she had ever seen. When they'd first become roommates, Riza hadn't liked her all that much, thinking that she was just another boy-crazy girl looking for attention. As she'd grown to know her though, Riza had begun to understand Rebecca's beautiful spirit and warm soul. She was loving in a way that deserved to be loved in return and yet often wasn't. Riza loved her though. She knew that she would watch her friend go through heartbreak after heartbreak and would always be willing to help her pick up the pieces, just as Rebecca would defend Riza until the end of her days and smooth out every rough edge around her.

"You're pretty," Rebecca insisted.

She planted another kiss on Riza's lips, soft and kind. Riza smiled against her lips. Rebecca deepened the second kiss, her tongue sliding along Riza's lips until she parted them, and then Rebecca's tongue was inside. Not probing and demanding, but tentative. It wasn't desperate and hot like Roy's had been. She didn't know what else to do, so Riza returned the gesture, feeling like it was right, and the tiny whimper that tumbled out of Rebecca's mouth sent a jolt all the way down to Riza's center.

Rebecca's hand slid up her side again, but instead of jumping to her face or her arm, it went over her chest until to found one of Riza's breast. She wasn't wearing a bra and the moment Rebecca's finger swiped over her nipple, despite the clothe, a gasp of air hitched in Riza's breath and she straightened against Rebecca's body. The other girl didn't stop in fear though, doing it again, and Riza couldn't have stopped the moan if she'd tried. She dug her fingers into Rebecca's hair, pushing her closer, and they began to kiss each other wildly. It was sloppy and they made far too much smacking noises. Rebecca couldn't seem to get enough of her breast, swiping and grabbing and squeezing. Their hips grinded against one another's, as if neither could control themselves.

The urge to touch her in return was so strong, but the moment she went to do so, Rebecca snatched her hand by the wrist and they paused, their lips still connected. Riza froze, barely able to breathe. Everything in her ached. Her hips hitched forward before she could think to stop them, wanting contact, wanting to be touched in between. She thought of Rebecca's delicate fingers, how they could press a trigger with such delicacy, and she had to cross her ankles to stop from squirming. That was not an appropriate thought right now.

"I'm sorry," Rebecca mumbled against her lips. She still hadn't moved. It was like a strange kiss, being spoken to with their lips connected.

"Why?" Riza asked, genuinely puzzled. Sure, she'd never kissed a girl before Rebecca, but she'd never kissed a boy before Roy. And it had felt good, as good as it had with Roy. She didn't even know if she'd ever see him again. She would always love him, she thought, but it wouldn't be the same with every person. He had kissed people before her and probably even after. She could do the same. She'd never expected it to be Rebecca, but...Riza trusted her.

Rebecca pulled away from her and he words tumbled out of her mouth. "You've been drinking and I'm-"

"You're what? Taking advantage of me?" Riza kissed her again, rushed and light, and then leaned back, dropping her head on her pillow. "Now who's being silly?"

A small smile crossed Rebecca's face. "So...you don't mind...? You liked it too?"

Riza had more than liked kissing Rebecca. To be honest, she didn't know how she was going to be able to sleep properly tonight, not with the way Rebecca's hand played with the band of her shorts, teasing her as she did in so many other things. But Riza wasn't confident, not bold in the way that Rebecca was, and so she merely nuzzled into Rebecca in response, burying her face in the other girl's neck and kissing it delicately. She couldn't say things out loud like her. Rebecca let out a breathy sigh and slid her hand around Riza's back underneath her shirt and held her close.

They fell asleep like that, despite the awkward angle. And when they awoke in the morning, heads lightly thumping from the alcohol and lack of water the nexgt morning, minds perfectly clear on what they'd talked about, both girls smiled and giggled at one another. When Rebecca smoothed down Riza's hair and kissed her again, she didn't tense up this time. In fact, she enjoyed quite a few kisses before they realized that they would be late for class if they didn't get up right then. It was almost worth being late, but then, Rebecca did like being a tease.


	2. Chapter 2

It was Rebecca’s idea to have a movie night in. She dubbed it a “sleepover,” despite the fact that they shared a dorm room and technically had a sleepover every night. When Riza had pointed that out, Rebecca had been absolutely aghast, asserting that that was not what a sleepover was. Riza hadn’t had to heart to tell Rebecca that she had never had an actual sleepover with other girls while growing up. While she’d had girl friends at school, she hadn’t been extremely close to any of them; and the few times she’d been invited, her father hadn’t allowed her to go. He’d said it was frivolous and would interrupt her studies. By the time she was older and her father was more absorbed by his research and bright alchemy apprentice, other girls had given up on asking her if she could go and she stopped asking.

When Rebecca wheeled in a cart covered by a sheet, Riza lifted her eyes from a textbook on military tactics. There was a sneaky grin on Rebecca’s face as she quickly shut the door and then manuevered the cart to the corner of the room. Pulling the sheet away, Rebecca exclaimed, “Tada!” and revealed one of the old television boxes that were rolled out whenever a video was shown in class.

“How did you get that?” Riza asked, both impressed and nervous. She highly doubted that Rebecca had asked one of their instructors if she could borrow it to watch movies. If they got caught with any “borrowed” Academy equipement, the price could be steep. She’d heard tales of students being stuck cleaning out the bathrooms for a month for doing less.

“I’ve got my sources,” was all Rebecca replied as she began to set up the vcr. She’d managed to scrounge up some movies from some of other like-minded cadets. Riza watched with mild interest. “Action, comedy, or romance?” Before Riza could even answer, Rebecca scrunched up her nose and set one of the tapes aside, looking as if she wouldn’t touch it again unelss she was wearing gloves. “Not that one. Stupid Lewis - I’m going to sock him for that.”

Because Riza was a tad bit naive and curious by nature, she stood up and wandered over to where Rebecca was in front of the television. However, when she peered at the tape that had offended Rebecca, a furious blush crossed her face and she stepped back, averting her gaze away from the picture of two girls and a guy doing something quite obscene together.

“Unless you want to,” Rebecca added, looking back at Riza and giving her a wink.

Riza couldn’t find the strength to say anything and instead choked on words before shaking her head. Rebecca laughed and returned to picking out a movie, settling on a comedy. To be honest, Riza hadn’t seen a lot of movies growing up, so she wouldn’t have complained about anything. She was certain that Rebecca passed up on the romance movie because it simply didn’t sound like Riza’s type. Thank everything Rebecca hadn’t found that stash of romance novels Riza hid under her bed; Roy had almost been in tears from guffawing when he’d caught her reading one, although he hadn’t mocked her for it.

 _“These books just read like they were written by one of my sisters,”_ he’d laughed, which had made Riza realize that she knew very little of the outside world.

But one thing she did know was that Rebecca had a terrible soft spot for romantic movies, so Riza decided that she would choose that one to watch next. It would both surprise and delight her roommate.

After changing into comfortable pajamas, Rebecca busted out the snacks. Milk, cookies, candy, and chips definitely weren’t the best food to eat when you’re constantly working out to join the military, but it was a staple of a sleepover. They settled onto Rebecca’s bed, their backs pressed against the walls, legs crossed, as the movie started. The movie was funny, but what made it really funny was Rebecca’s commentary. She knew exactly what jokes to say, switching from mocking the characters out loud to muttering comments out of the side of her. One whispered joke in her ear had Riza choking on a cookie. They spent the movie giggling and swapping food. It felt good to just stay in and hang out, not bothering with the other cadets or burying her face in books and notes.

Once the movie was over, Riza moved to pick the next one. Just as she suspected, Rebecca was surprised by her choice, but she wore a happy glow as Riza smiled and sat back down next to her. Right from the start, Riza knew that it wasn’t her type. It was overly dramatic and the two main characters were interested in each other almost right from the beginning. It had taken her almost a year to warm up to Roy and a few more before either of them had worked up the courage. It still made her chuckle, thinking of how confident and brash Roy was until the moment when he first tried to kiss her and panicked so he awkwardly hugged her instead. Rebecca had been shy, but braver than him when she’d first kissed Riza.

As if somehow capable of reading her thoughts, Rebecca sighed happily and leaned her head against Riza’s shoulder. It wasn’t as odd as it might’ve once felt. Riza liked her personal space whereas Rebecca didn’t seem to have a personal bubble, but over the past year, she had grown very comfortable with Rebecca. The other girl held herself back in respect to Riza, but then Riza did not pull away or flinch when Rebecca initiated physical contact every now and then. She liked the way Rebecca would rush to hug her after a particular good test score or how she held Riza’s hands and jumped around in glee when they beat every other girl at a five mile race.

It made her feel good, cared for, appreciated. It had been a while since she’d felt that way, the memory of Roy’s last visit back home almost a ghost.

Near the end of the movie, Rebecca had slid all the way down so that her head was in Riza’s lap. She sniffed greatly during the sickly sweet, sad parts, munching on a chocolate chip cookie, while Riza absentmindedly played with Rebecca’s hair. It was a terribly predictable plot, but Riza didn’t complain, not when Rebecca was so taken away by it. She didn’t like the idea of bursting her friend’s rose-tinted bubble.

“That was so cute,” Rebecca sighed as the credits began to roll. Riza couldn’t say the same thing, but she hummed in agreement anyways. Rolling onto her back, Rebecca looked up at her, still using her lap as a pillow. “Do you think love like that is possible?”

The words, “I hope not,” slipped out of Riza’s mouth before she could stop herself and Rebecca burst out laughing. A sheepish look crossed Riza’s face, but it didn’t appear as if she’d offended Rebecca any by insulting the movie or her dreamy ideas.

Rebecca smiled slyly at her. “You didn’t think it was romantic when they made love on the beach?”

“I thought it was probably really sandy and itchy,” Riza answered honestly.

With a light chuckle, Rebecca sat up and tossed her hair back in a dramatic fashion, batting her eyelashes. She was teasing her, but not meanly. This was the role she’d play whenever she was trying to make Riza feel more comfortable at a bar, being over the top and ridiculous, knowing that Riza would feel less embarrassed after and would loosen up. “What about when he carried her through the rain and they shelter in the barn and made love?”

“Definitely itchy then with some chafing as well,” Riza supplied. She’d forgotten how many times the two main characters had had sex in the movie. Now that she was thinking about it, there had been less plot and character development than sex. The only reason she hadn’t spent the entire film blushing was because it was so corny and melodramatic.

“What about after they danced at that party and they slipped into a side room, totally aware that they could get caught at any moment?” Rebecca asked, her face much closer to Riza’s now. There was that enticing smile on her face again. Riza couldn’t tell if Rebecca was still teasing or not, but she was close enough where Riza could feel her body heat and an intent look in her eyes. “I seem to remember you squirming a little bit during that scene.”

“I did not-” Riza flushed at the thought. She’d only squirmed because she’d been sitting for so long and wanted to get comfortable again, not because she’d been aroused in the slightest by such an absurd scene. Who would sneak off to have sex when there were so many people in the next room? It was dangerous. Maybe that was the point though. The chance of being caught was exciting and not scary. “I suppose,” she finally admitted, “that it was…interesting concept.”

An amused light glowed in Rebecca’s dark brown eyes. “Interesting concept, eh? I bet you’re a real winner at dirty talk. Maybe we should’ve watched the porn instead.”

Now that was definitely a joke. Riza wouldn’t have been able to get through the first five minutes of that film without being horribly mortified and Rebecca would’ve been giggling out of control by then. Still, Riza was feeling defensive now. No, she wasn’t all that experienced when it came to sex and she had some pretty non-romantic views, but she also knew that Rebecca wasn’t very experienced as well. Some of the guys assumed she was from the way she flirted and Riza hated that they treated her that way, but Rebecca brushed it off more often than nont. Riza knew that it hurt her feelings sometimes, but it also got her free drinks and even food, so she liked to say that things evened out.

“I’m more of a hands-on learner,” Riza said, proud of the way that her voice didn’t shake. Her cheeks were still bright red though. She couldn’t hide the fact that she was embarrassed about saying anything like that. It sounded downright dirty, even if it was directed at Rebecca. She had to fight the urge to bolt out of the room when she realized that what she’d said had sounded like something Roy would say to tease her. He probably would’ve either laughed or choked if she’d said it to him.

Rebecca, on the other hand, grinned, clearly enjoying the banter. “Oh? Can I get an example?”

Honestly, Riza did not think she could blush any further. It crept all the way down her next and spread across her chest underneath her t-shirt, her entire body warmed with the implication of Rebecca’s response and by the fact that she had planted herself firmly into this mess. Even worse was the feeling that slid sharply down her spine, right to her center, that made her squirm again.

“Would this make it easier for you?” Rebecca asked, sitting up on her knees and them swinging a leg over so that she was practically in Riza’s lap.

The sudden action caused Riza to gasp and cant her hips up without even thinking. Rebecca leaned forward, slipping her arms around Riza’s neck, and then pressed her lips against hers. It was a light, gentle kiss. Riza’s whole body felt like it was hot and she decidedly wanted more, but the first few kisses stayed soft. They hadn’t done this for a month, not since that night after they kissed each other after Riza lost that pool game bet, and these kisses felt like they were getting reacquainted with one another’s lips. Not for lack of want, but they had both been too busy wrapped up in their studies and getting physically worn to bits by their drill sergeant’s exercise regimenes. It was all Riza could do to shower sometimes without wanting to pass out in her bed first.

This time though, when Riza moved to touch Rebecca, the other girl didn’t hold her back. She let out a low moan as Riza’s fingers danced over her breasts and squeezed Riza tigher with her arms and knees. That alone sent a jolt down Riza’s center again. It was so much different with Rebecca than it had been with Roy. He had been hard and muscular whereas she was soft and pliant. Her nipples peaked underneath the cottom of her shirt as she became more aroused, the kisses becoming more frantic. She pulled away from Riza’s lips to kiss her jaw and then down her neck, sucking lightly so as to not leave a mark, her fingers pressing into Riza’s hips.

A little moan tumbled out of Riza’s mouth when Rebecca kissed her again and deepened it. She slid one hand from Riza’s hips and underneath her shirt this time, breath hitching as she grasped Riza’s bare breast. Riza whimpered. How long had it been since anyone had touched her so intimately? She was always so careful to keep herself covered up, out of modesty and necessity. She could still remember the way Rebecca’s hand burned on the small of her back the night they first kissed in her bed, unknowingly touching the tattoo that only three people in the universe could know about.

Seeking better access, Rebecca went to pull Riza’s shirt over her head, but then her heart leapt into her throat and she panicked. Riza immediately stopped kissing and jerked away to grab Rebecca’s hands to stop her, unable to stop the fear from seeping into her eyes.

Rebecca gave her a startled look and paused, gripping the edge of Riza’s shirt with one hand and still holding her breast with the other. When she saw the fear in Riza’s eyes, her face softened. “It’s okay. If this is too fast-”

“No!” Riza bit her lip at her outburst, her cheeks burning and her stomach clenching. Rebecca tilted her head questioningly. It was difficult trying to have this conversation - trying to lie - with Rebecca still touching her and in her lap. Despite her nerves, her body still ached with desire, completely at war with her mind right now. She wished that she didn’t have to worry about such things, but a heavy burden had been placed on her and she didn’t want to answer any questions when she knew that she’d have to lie. “I’m just…” - she sighed - “insecure.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. She was a bit uncomfortable with her looks at times. Roy may have gazed at her like she was the only water in a desert, but her looks had very rarely been commented on before. As silly as it sounded now, it had given her a slight complex, something she hadn’t realized until she was surrounded by men and women her own age on a constant basis. How sheltered had she been?

“Oh my god, Riza,” Rebecca exclaimed, “do you not know how beautiful you are?”

Riza looked down at her lap and shook her head. The compliment felt nice, especially since she knew that Rebecca did not lie about such things. She was using her forceful voice, which meant that she very much believed in what she was saying and was trying to convince someone to agree. Still, even if Riza had agreed with her, she had to keep playing the insecure roll. She had to keep hiding. It stung more than she expected.

“You really are silly,” Rebecca huffed before moving Riza’s chin back up so that she could kiss her again, “but I understand.”

Fondness surged in Riza’s heart. There were a lot of times when Rebecca goaded Riza into doing things that she didn’t really want to do at first - like going out or taking a shot or helping her prank one of the other cadets - but if Riza really didn’t want to do it, Rebecca did not push the subject. She could always tells when Riza was serious about something and would back off without complaint. She couldn’t imagine one of the other male cadets, like Lewis, being so understanding.

Relief was a strange thing to feel while making out, but that was what Riza felt as Rebecca moved off of her and gently pushed Riza to lie on her back. She stayed on her side, slightly propped up, so that she was halfway on top of her Riza, one of her legs thrown over hers. She had really nice, firm legs from all the running and training that they did every day, silky smooth from shaving. It occurred to Riza to be embarrassed for a second when she remembered that she hadn’t shaved her legs in over a week, but Rebecca didn’t even seem to notice.

Honestly, Riza was enamored by the feels of Rebecca’s skin. It was so soft. The little, pleased noises that she made whenever Riza touched her sent excited jolts all the way through her. Riza gasped and her hips jerked when Rebecca slid a hand in between her legs over her shorts. Even through the material, the sudden pressure there had her panting. She hadn’t been touched there since Roy, too embarrassed to do anything herself when she had a roommate.

“Can I?” Rebecca asked as she kissed Riza’s neck.

Riza jerkily nodded her head. Rebecca played with her skin under the waistband of her shorts before slipping a hand under and palmed Riza’s mound, one finger pressing a little harder. Riza moaned at the contact. She could tell that she was already wet from making out, but she hadn’t realized how much she’d desired direct contact until now.

Rebecca giggled. “Careful now, Riza. If you’re too loud, someone is bound to hear you.” She rubbed in a methodical, knowing manner, the type of touch that said she knew what she was doing, and then slipped under her underwear. Riza gasped and jerked violently, more turned on that she could believe. “These walls are so thin. They could hear you gasping and moaning. Should I stop?”

What an absolutely maddening woman! Riza had to bite her lip to keep from crying out as Rebecca teased her with touches and words. Of course she would be like this. She really was good at teasing Riza. She just hadn’t expected it to translate in this way. Of course, Rebecca’s face was a little pink too, like she was embarrassed by what she was saying but pushing through it determinedly anyways. That was Rebecca for you. Once she started something, she did not like giving up or admitting defeat.

Riza’s body felt taut, like she was a string of a bow and about to snap. Her hips moved with Rebecca’s deft fingers. She gripped Rebecca’s arm with one hand and the blanket with the other. She kept choking on gasps, feeling closer and closer to some sort of oblivion. She kept tightening and loosening and it was so much. She felt like she might explode. “Rebecca,” she moaned out, as wanton as that woman in that dumb romance movie they’d just watched, and Rebecca grinded her center against Riza’s hip involuntarily. Riza dug her nails into the bed with her left hand, trying not to do the same to Rebecca’s arm with her right, and began to pant.

But when Rebecca jerked up her already ridden up shirt enough to expose one of her breasts, capturing it with her mouth and swirling a tongue around a nipple, Riza came absolutely undone. She bucked against Rebecca’s hand, both begging Rebecca in her mind to not stop touching her and to pull away. Rebecca did not relent, quickening her touch and sucking on her breast as Riza road through the orgasm, and Riza had bury her face into Rebecca’s chest to muffle the noises she was making otherwise their neighbors would hear her.

A sudden exhaustion came over Riza as she slowed down, gasping for air even as her hips continued to move like they had a mind of their own, but she pushed through it. She let go of the bed and reached over to touch Rebecca with a shaky hand. Rebecca pulled her hand out from underneath Riza’s underwear and moved to touch Riza’s other breast as she kissed Riza on the lips again. Her own hips kept pushing against Riza’s thigh, her center grinding against her. When Riza touched her breasts and began to kiss her neck, Rebecca started to breathe heavily and push even harder. She had her eyes squeezed shut as she concentrated, her touch becoming more inconsistent as she focused on her own arousal.

Riza was ready to ask if Rebecca needed any help when she jerked and began to gasp wildly. Caught off guard, Riza couldn’t help but feel aroused all over again as Rebecca came. With just the right amount of pressure against her center and Riza’s touch, it had seemed enough to send her over. Her orgasm didn’t last as long as Riza’s had, but as she came down, she laid down and pressed her body into Riza’s, twitching and whimpering when the aftershocks hit her. Both girls were practically panting, trying to draw in as much air as possible. Rebecca wiggled a hand in between them so that they could thread their fingers together.

“We should watch cheesy romance movies more often,” Rebecca announced when she could finally speak.

Riza buried her face into Rebecca again, trying to hide her blushing face. When Rebecca had declared it a sleepover night, she had not expected it to go like this. They hadn’t mentioned kissing since it’d happened, though neither one of them were ashamed or embarrassed. It just hadn’t come up. Riza wondered if Rebecca had been thinking about it or maybe thought that Riza had forgotten. She hadn’t. The Academy was just…consuming, her mind growing especially distant this past month since a few of her instructors had been hinting that she might be shipped off early.

The thought of being sent away suddenly gripped Riza’s throat and she squeezed Rebecca’s hand tighter. She didn’t want to go. But then, she had been the one to sign up for the military during a war. She’d expected it and yet hadn’t at the same time, swept up by Roy’s idealistic dreams. She couldn’t help but wonder how Roy was faring on the frontlines, if his dreams were being fulfilled, if he was alive. That last one hurt her more than she liked to admit. She thought of Rebecca being sent to Ishval and it scared her almost just as much.

Perhaps sensing the maelstrom of emotions swirling in Riza’s soul, Rebecca lifted a hand to brush Riza’s hair behind her ears, the touch soothing and familiar. Riza would have to cut her hair soon, lest she wanted some awkward, short bob. It was such a normal, every day thought that it stilled her mind. She didn’t want to think about leaving Rebecca, not right now, not when she felt closer to the other girl than ever before. She wondered if Rebecca would try to cling to her as tightly as she did now when the orders came down for Riza to leave or if Rebecca would be a proud future soldier and see her off with hope in her eyes. Riza forced her breath to steady and her heart to calm down. When the time came, she would deal with it.

“I have to return the tv,” Rebecca sighed disappointedly, disentangling herself from Riza. The cold that seeped in after Rebecca left the bed was sudden and hurt. Just the simple physical contact of not being alone had comforted Riza in ways she hadn’t known that she needed.

Riza propped herself up. “When you get back-”

“You better still be in that bed,” Rebecca told her firmly. “I’m grumpy if I don’t get cuddles.”

The smile that broke on Riza’s face was so genuine and relieved that it made herself sad. This was such a light and sweet night. How many more chances would she have before she was gone? The beds at the Academy weren’t comfortable, but they felt so good when she wasn’t alone in one. It wouldn’t be like that in Ishval. Maybe the side comments and random looks from the instructors and drill sergeants were just rumor - maybe she would graduate properly with Rebecca - but as she watched Rebecca roll the tv out of the room, leaving her alone again, Riza knew that was a lie.

For now, she had to enjoy this while she could. She would soak up Rebecca’s smiles and laughs, feel safe in her hugs and fondess in her kisses, because who knew if or when she would ever get them again. It sounded selfish, but she knew that if she told Rebecca, the other girl would be devastated and she couldn’t do that. Best wait.

Riza sighed as she flopped back down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Had this been how Roy had felt when he’d decided to sign up for the military and waited to tell Riza until the last week? She had been so mad and upset with him when he’d finally admitted everything to her. Now here she was, probably doing the same thing.

Life was strange. She could enjoy these nights though. She would cherish them and hold them together in her memories to keep her warm later. She just hoped that Rebecca wouldn’t be mad at her for leaving. She could already hear the other girl huffing, _“Why do you have to be such a good shot? Can’t you mess up a few times? Maybe they won’t send you away then!”_ Riza smiled at the thought. Stubborn to the end, Rebecca was. But war was war and they had both signed up for this. Riza just hadn’t signed up to become so attached to the other girl in the process.


End file.
